In the last company I
worked for, the President would frequently say
“The assets of this company ride up and down in
the elevator every day.” He was stating
how valuable the employees were to the company.
And, yet, the work life of those employees was
and still is increasingly stressful due to
layoffs, increased workloads, longer hours and
increased technology, which enables and often
encourages people to work around the clock.
It is more and more difficult for people to set
boundaries around work, family and leisure time.
In fact, surveys show that people want more
balanced lives and are willing to forego
promotions and salary increases to that end.
As the person in charge of Human Resources
there, I found this paradox quite interesting
especially because the company wanted to hire
the best and brightest and rewarded increased “workaholism”.
Because this dilemma
creates such a huge challenge for business, I
have spent the past few years looking for ways
to create a win/win situation for both business
and employees. One such find is the
labyrinth. Many people think of mazes when
they hear the word labyrinth. Mazes are
meant to disorient and confuse us with multiple
paths, dead ends, tricks and high walls.
They are puzzles to be figured out, hence
activating the left-brain. Sounds similar to
life and work, right? Labyrinths are
ancient, archetypal patterns having one path to
and from the center so one cannot get lost or
disoriented. They literally support you in
finding your center and becoming
centered/focused. Currently many spiritual
and secular settings are using them as walking
meditation tools for personal and spiritual
growth. How they work is a mystery,
although it has been shown physiologically that
they balance the body’s fluidic system as well
as the right and left sides of the brain.
Most people who walk them or use “finger”
labyrinths report a sense of calm and peace
making them a wonderful tool for stress
reduction.
Labyrinths come in many
forms and patterns. They can be created
permanently or temporarily outdoors using a
variety of materials, portable ones are drawn
and painted on canvas, nylon or other fabrics
and finger labyrinths, where your fingers do the
walking by following the path, are created in
wood, plastic, acrylic, etc. Some
corporate parks have installed permanent
labyrinths on their grounds. Portable ones
are used for training programs, retreats and
department meetings. Finger labyrinths can
be used individually at a person’s desk.
Since there is nothing to do
but put one foot in front of the other and
follow the path, the brain starts to quiet so we
can hear our inner voice or truth which is so
frequently drowned out with the constant chatter
or clutter in our heads. Therefore,
labyrinths are called “right brain activity
enhancers” as creativity and intuition are
increased; attributes that are increasingly
valued in business. Following the
circuitous path in clockwise and
counterclockwise directions provides
opportunities to view and relate to problems,
situations and/or people from different
perspectives.
The metaphorical aspects
of the labyrinth also provide rich insights for
people and organizations. Labyrinths
symbolize our life’s journey or the journey of
an organization. As each person walks the
labyrinth, it is clear that we are on our own
journey having total responsibility for the
outcome. No one can walk the path for us
or with us. Self-responsibility and
empowerment have been popular ideas in business
for many years. The labyrinth assists in
bringing those ideas home. Labyrinths also
provide time for reflection. The President
of our company and others would take walks
around the block or the building when they
needed to “cool off” or regain their balance.
The labyrinth provides a similar opportunity.
Labyrinths are also great
for community building. Groups,
departments, and leadership teams can walk the
labyrinth together to focus on challenges,
visions, and conflicts using what comes up for
solutions, creativity, decompression,
reflection, etc. Staff meetings have a
very different “feel” when everyone walks the
labyrinth prior to the start of the meeting. It
can also be an assessment tool for
organizational development.
I believe the applications
for the labyrinth are unlimited. Since my
background is in Human Resources and training, I
see them used in teambuilding programs and
experiences, during transitions, to reduce
stress, to increase and enhance communication,
and to resolve conflicts, to name a few.
Another important aspect
that I see for business is how the labyrinth
supports paradigm shifts from competition to
cooperation inside and outside the organization,
from scarcity or greediness to abundance
thinking, from determining plans and business
strategies using external occurrences and
pressure to using internal guidance from values,
visions, truth and authenticity, from fear to
faith, from being reactive (crisis management)
to becoming proactive.
Within the labyrinth,
differences disappear and similarities are
magnified; structure is seen as freeing rather
than restricting. Each time we walk, we
get closer to our truth. As each person
changes, business and the world will change. So
as those assets of the company increase in
confidence, focus, clarity, creativity,
intuition, productivity, self-responsibility,
balance and peace, the return on investment can
do nothing but soar!
Spirit Matters
Judith Joyce
4507 Main Street
Waitsfield, VT 05673
802-496-9237; FAX:
802-496-9238
E-mail:
jmjoyce@spirit-matters.com
Website:
http://www.spirit-matters.com
Copyright
© by Spirit Matters, 2000
